New from Patek Philippe, the Ref. 5235 Annual Calendar Regular watch is not only simply beautiful to look at, but also embraces – in typical Patek Philippe style – a number of high technology advances. Just unveiled to the world in Geneva, the watch has not even hit the US market yet, but rest assured, when it does, it will make an easily as monumental splash here as it did in Switzerland – commanding a waiting list of collectors.
The first Patek Philippe wristwatch with a regulator dial, the watch features a center sweep minute hand, a subsidiary hour dial at 12:00 and a seconds subdial at 6:00. It also offers the day, date and month indications in well-balanced aperture windows. Beating at the heart of the watch is the new caliber 31-260 REG QA, the first ultra-thin self-winding Patek Philippe movement with a mini-rotor. It is also the very first totally new basic movement designed to accommodate the brand’s Silinvar® (silicon-based) components: escape wheel, lever of the Pulsomax® escapement and the Spiromax® balance spring. The ultra thin movement is a mere 11mm in height – an astonishing accomplishment for a self-winding watch with annual calendar that recognizes 30-day and 31-day months and only needs to be corrected once a year on March 1. The movement consists of 320 parts. The frequency of the new movement was increased by nearly 10% to 23,040 vph, equivalent to 3.2 Hz, and at the same time, its power reserve was increased to 60 hours.
In addition to improved energy efficiency, the Silinvar® components are totally anti-magnetic, shock-resistant, non-corroding, and require no lubrication. The watch carries the Patek Philippe Seal. It is crafted in the Calatrava case in 18-karat white gold and retails for $51,000. Yes, another Patek Philippe fine wonder.
